Tottenham Hotspur have joined the race to sign Sevilla forward Julio Baptista and have offered over 20 million euros ($24.14 million) for the Brazil international, the Primera Liga side's president said on Monday.

Jose Maria del Nido told reporters at a news conference in Seville the club still had no intention of selling the player who is due to return from Brazil to start pre-season training on Tuesday.

"Unless we receive some bigger offers Baptista will play for Sevilla this season," he said during the presentation of new signing Italian midfielder Enzo Maresca.

Last week Del Nido said he had rejected an offer of 20 million euros from Arsenal for the 23-year-old, but reports in the Spanish and English press suggested that the two clubs were on the verge of closing a deal.

Spanish media reported on Friday that Arsenal were prepared to use the money they had raised from the sale of Patrick Vieira to Juventus to finance the deal.

Baptista joined Sevilla on a five-year contract from Sao Paulo in July 2003 for $2.8 million, with coach Joaquin Caparros converting him from a midfielder into an extra forward.

He made an immediate impact at the Andalucian club, earning the sobriquet "La Bestia" (the Beast) for his rampaging runs into the area, ending his first season as leading scorer with 20 league goals from 30 appearances.

Last season he notched 18 goals to help Sevilla to a sixth-place finish in the Primera Liga for the second season in succession.